Hyaluronic acid encapsulated aminated mesoporous silica nanoparticles for <scp>pH</scp>‐responsive delivery of methotrexate and release kinetics

Abstract A simple drug controlled delivery system is facilely designed for pH‐responsive of methotrexate (MTX), an anticancer drug. Aminated mesoporous silica nanoparticles (AMSNs) were first synthesized the loading MTX, and then MTX‐loaded AMSN (AMSN‐MTX) was encapsulated with hyaluronic acid (HA) through electrostatic attractions. Successful preparation HA‐encapsulated AMSN‐MTX (AMSN‐MTX‐HA) confirmed by different characterizations such as scanning electron microscopy, Fourier transform infrared, x‐ray diffraction, so on. Because protonation/deprotonation HA closely related to pH, interactions between depend on pH medium thus MTX achieved. The release kinetic data from carrier fit well Higuchi Korsmeyer‐Peppas models. Cell experiments indicate that developed AMSN‐MTX‐HA displays high inhibitory effect hepatoma (SMMC‐7721) cells while drug‐free AMSN‐HA has good biocompatibility.